New busway opens in August- Cambridge to St Ives

[rov1100]

I have seen pictures of this operating and for the life of me cannot see the advantages to using it. Running along a guided road it has wheels sticking out from the side to hold the bus in place. It can leave the track and just like an ordinary bus travel through the city. Having a dedicated road without any other traffic seems OK but the cost of laying the road runs into £mns and the amount of land taken up is many thousands of hectares.
So whats the real point of it?

http://www.cambridges...orks/Busway+track.htm

[rov1100]

Here's one in action:


http://www.youtube.co...azWm8&feature=related

[Buenchico]

Well it's a bit longer than our local one anyway!
http://en.wikipedia.o...Ipswich_Rapid_Transit

Many areas are now trying to ensure that bus services are far more reliable than they used to be. For example, if I catch a train at Cambridge station (as I often do) there's around a 95% chance that it will get me to my destination within 5 minutes of the scheduled time. However, if I wait at Drummer Street for a bus to St Ives, it's likely to leave at least 10 minutes late and arrive at least 20 minutes late. (I write from experience!) The target is to to get at least 98% of all buses running exactly on time (while also easing traffic on the A14 at the same time)

More on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.o...geshire_Guided_Busway

Chris

[mike11111]

When I was going to St Ives I met a man with seven wives...
Can't remember the rest.

[rov1100]

You can understand they are trying to get away from the heavily congested 2 lane A14 but the money they spent on this busway would have paid for a 3rd lane on the A14 and all traffic would have benefitted.